Good Friday Morning,
It's quite a beautiful day out there this morning, even nicer than yesterday if that's possible. Somewhere in the world the weather is like this all year round and I need to know where that is so I can move there. Don't worry, thanks to modern communications I'll still be able to post News That Matters from my passive solar home... wherever that may be.
Greg Ball made the news again this week as a week without the Ballster in the news is NOT like waking up in the middle of a root canal. This time he's claiming that the nominating conventions for his state senate race were "illegal". What galls the Ball is that he didn't win. In fact, he lost by a long shot. He does plan a primary race against Mary Beth Murphy assuming he can muster enough support to get on the ballot. So look for a cast of characters from out-of-town going door-to-door seeking your signatures for his petitions. Do we smell the final end of his political career?
The NYS DEC is abandoning 1,000 acres on May 31, 2010 to save $35,000. State budget cuts will force the cancellation of programs and the closing of facilities at the Stony Kill Farm and Environmental Center. We are requesting that those of you who haven’t already, please mail Governor David Pererson asking that he save Stony Kill. Letters are MUCH more affective than an email or call at this point. David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224 We ask that you please write a personal letter to him, telling him how you feel about the closure of Stony Kill and what the failure of meeting the deed restrictions will mean to the community, and the state of New York. If you are unwilling to write a personal letter, click here for a pre-written letter that you can simply print and sign. We would like to again thank the local government officials and residents who have vigorously supported the Save Stony Kill effort, and the MANY of you that signed and passed around petitions. Yeah, believe it - for $35,000 the state will loose a property that's been farmed since the dinosaurs. Okay I'll admit, not since the dinosaurs, but at least since the Dutch were here... and that's almost as long ago.
Enjoy your weekend.
- Saturday, May 22
- Sunday, May 23
- Into the Future:
- Monday, May 24
- Wednesday, May 26
- Thursday, May 27
- Friday, May 28
- Saturday, May 29
- Wednesday, June 2
- Thursday, June 3
- Sunday, June 6
- Friday, June 11
- Sunday, June 13
Saturday, May 22 Putnam County Land Trust Volunteer Work Party  9:30AM - 12:30PM - Work parties are now being organized for trail maintenance and clean up on preserves of the Putnam County Land Trust. Groups will be formed and work each month on a designated preserve. No prior experience is necessary. A good attitude and a willingness to pitch in are essential. The first work party will be held at the Field Farmstead Preserve on Fields Lane in Brewster on Saturday, May 22nd from 9:30 to 12:30. Work detail will include removal of debris, posting of border signs, creating about 200 feet of new trail and removal of invasive plants such as multi-flora rose and barberry. Water, work gloves, jeans and work or hiking boots are suggested. Tools such as shovels, clippers, rakes and loppers if available would be helpful. If not tools will be provided. Come have fun with a like minded group of individuals in the out-of-doors while helping maintain trails for the public. To learn more or to sign up, please contact Judy Terlizzi at 845 228 4520, Bob Lund at 845 279 3122 or visit the website at www.pclt.net.
Support the Troops - Bring Them Home.
10 AM - Veteran's Park, (Route 218) Highland Falls. A coalition of activists from at least four Hudson Valley counties will march to the south gate of West Point Saturday, May 22, while President Obama prepares to address the Military Academy graduating class in nearby Michie Stadium. After this presidential sendoff, nearly all the graduates will end up fighting in the ongoing wars, just as the Afghan war is being widened to inlcude Pakistan and Yemen. Events begin at 10 a.m. with a rally in Highland Falls at Veterans Park on Main St. (Rt. 218) and Veterans Way, followed by a march to the Thayer Gate at West Point. The main demands will be to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to invest the saved taxpayer dollars in financing jobs, education and other needs to benefit the American people.
Build a Trail in Hyde Park 10AM - 2PM Volunteers are needed to build a tral connection in Hyde Park, Dutchess County. Here's chance to make your mark along the Hudson River. Volunteers will be working with staff from Scenic Hudson, Winnakee Land Trust and The Hyde Park Trails Committee to open almost a mile of new trail along the Hudson. Contact Anthony Coneski, 845 473 4440 Ext. 273, www.scenichudson.org.
Saunders History Contest for Haldane and Garrison 7th Graders 11AM - 5PM. The annual Jean Saunders History Contest asks local 7th graders to create research projects and compete for cash prizes. Topics include Benedict Arnold, Mining in Putnam Valley, the Mandeville House, Boscobel, the Marathon Battery Company, and more! The public is also invited to the awards ceremony and reception on Saturday, May 22nd, at 2 pm. The contestants are: Micah Adams, Isabella Adler, Alison Clark, Peter Close, Catherine Drotar, Margaret Dupree, Jordan Erickson, Justin Ferdico, Edmund Fitzgerald, Samantha Ford, Ramsey Heitmann, Tucker Hine, Peter Hoffman, Sara Jacoby, Penn LeFavour, Poppy London, Fiona Mueller, Cooper Nugent, Emily O'Rourke, Paige O'Toole, Julia Olsen, Emanuelle Palikuca, Vivian Panayotou, Samantha Perlman, Garret Quigley, Siobahn Quigley, Spencer Rundquist, Carolina Sanhueza, Megan Scali, Veronica Scianna, Kaan Solakoglu, John Swartzwelder, Tiffany Thompson, Trevor Van Brunt, Brooke Vasquez, Serena Wessley. The Putnam County Historical Society & Foundry School is located at 63 Chestnut Street in Cold Spring. For more information, please visit www.pchs-fsm.org, or call 845-265-4010.
Spring Art Exhibit  1PM - 5PM - At the Cultural Center on Lake Carmel, Route 52, just south of the Route 311 causeway. Opening Reception With Over 45 artists including Wendy Alvarez , Pallas Athene Niver, Dianne Bibault, Rhonda Birmele, Patricia Bolgosano, Maria Calegari, Chris Casaburi, Bill Cody, Bart Cook, George Davison, Jeanne Demotses, Anita Eddy, Eric Ficinus, Eleanor Haggerty, Geneva Hamilton, Kate Hoekstra, Bruce Iacono, Mike Keropian, Kat LaRanger, Kate & Ray LaRanger, Deborah Lecce, Don Longabucco, Tori Lucas, Jessica McMath, Lisa Marie Meinck, Jerry Michalak, Eugenia Mierisch, Thom Murphy, Amanda O’Shaughnessy, Ekaterina Piskareva, Joe Pizzuti, Bob Rogers, Jackie Scelia, Rena Scelia, Mary Schreiber, Erinn Shaw, Thel Simon, Greg Solanto, Justo Soza, Jerry Spette, Marcela Szwarc, Mary Ann Taormina, Herberto Turizzo Anaya and Roy Volpe will display new works in this annual spring art exhibit. The Friends of Kent Library will sponsor a hand-selected Arts Book Sale of both bargains and collector items during the Opening Weekend of the Exhibit. Free Admission. Contact: Arts on the Lake
Michael Garland featured in new show at Front Street Gallery  5PM - 8PM - Opening Reception. The Front Street Gallery is excited to present the recent paintings of Michael Garland. The show will run through June 20. On Wednesday, May 26, Garland will conduct a special gallery talk regarding his work at 6pm. The Front Street Gallery started in April in Patterson, NY, and for its second show will feature the work of a local resident with a worldwide following. Michael Garland is an internationally known artist, illustrator and author working in a wide array of styles. A writer of best-selling children’s books, he has illustrated for authors James Patterson and Gloria Estefan. His recent paintings in oil include landscapes of the Hudson and Harlem Valleys, and still-lifes. Garland has received commissions for Forbes, Fortune and Newsweek covers; he has illustrated everything from postage stamps to billboards. Michael Garland is currently working on his twenty-sixth book as author and illustrator. His newest book, Miss Smith and the Haunted Library made the New York Times Bestseller list. The Front Street Gallery is directly across from the Patterson Metro North train station, and next door to Magnolia’s Restaurant, making it an easy train-tour stop, along with the Gallery on the Green, one stop north in Pawling. For more information, log on to www.frontstreetgallery.org or e-mail info@frontstreetgallery.org.
Sunday, May 23 Evolution - A Juried Exhibit. 2PM - 4PM - Opening Reception. Everything changes: growth, survival, process, metamorphosis, stages - a juried exhibit at Belle Levine Art Center 521 Kennicut Hill Rd., Mahopac, NY. Juror: Carinda Swann, a working visual artist with a BFA and an MA in Fine Arts and Theatre Arts is currently the Executive Director at Garrison Art Center. A teaching artist at Marist College for 15 years, she is also the founder of the Summer Art Institute at Garrison Art Center. Artists are invited to click below for prospectus and details. Gallery Hours: Tues - Fri 10-3; Sundays 1-4 or by appointment. Awards and opening reception:
Into the Future: Monday, May 24 The Inquisition Comes To Carmel 6PM - Carmel Town Hall. Croton Falls Road just south of Route 6. Come early since parking is a bitch.
 Besieged Carmel resident, Lori Kemp, will go up against that town's political establishment when the Putnam County DA's office prosecutes her for defending her property against a trespasser. Judge Spofford will hear the case (without a jury) of Harassment in the 2nd degree, a violation. Conviction could mean jail time and a hefty fine.
I cannot stress enough how important it is that we show up in that courtroom to either witnesses the judge throw out the case for lack of supportable evidence or the DA's office drop the charges or, sadly, see the result of what happens when someone dares to stand up for law and order and personal property rights against a politically connected and protected developer.
If Ms. Kemp is convicted it will tell every resident of this county that their property rights will not be defended by local government and that developers have more rights than we do. If, on the other hand, the charges are dropped, you can pat yourselves on the back for it would be largely through your efforts that justice will have been served.
Wednesday, May 26 Watersheds in Dutchess County (and elsewhere!) 6:30 PM - Guest Speaker: Dr. Shorna Allred, Cornell University. The CCEDC Environment Program and members of the Wappinger Creek Watershed Intermunicipal Council (WIC) invite you to attend a fun and informative stakeholder meeting on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 6:30pm to learn more about the Wappinger Creek Watershed and give you the opportunity to share your concerns about water quality and land use issues. The forum will include representatives from local municipalities in the watershed, researchers from Cornell University and residents who share their stories and concerns. This is a unique opportunity to be heard and learn how to get involved with local watershed activities! The discussion will be relevant not only to the Wappinger Creek watershed, but other watersheds in Dutchess County and our region as well. Participants will: - Hear results of recent stakeholder & municipal watershed surveys conducted by Cornell University - Learn about water quality in the watershed & steps everyone can take to protect water resources - Share stories and discuss concerns - Talk about restoration & protection goals - Create a login for the new dutchesswatersheds.org website - Get involved with local projects, especially during Dutchess Watershed Awareness Month in July 2010! Location: The Farm & Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook, NY 12545. Free and Open to the Public; No Pre-Registration Required; Light Refreshments Provided!!! For More Info, Contact Vicky at (845) 677-8223 x153 or vcb4@cornell.edu
Hudson Valley Science Cafe 7:00 PM. The Economy. Topic: Why the recession, and where we are going: Job growth in America. Presenter: Gordon Rauer, M.A., businessman and former teacher of Economics (Syracuse University adjunct). A Science Cafe is a monthly gathering in a Cafe, Pub or Restaurant, open to the public, with a short presentation of a topic followed by discussion. The essence of a Science Cafe is informality, with groups seated around tables with food and drink to encourage conversation. Hudson Valley Science Café usually meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month, except where noted. Website: http://www.cafescientifique.org/hudsonvalley.htm Meeting site: Diana's, 1015 Little Britain Road (Route 207), New Windsor (just east of Stewart Newburgh Airport, on the opposite side of the road from the airport entrance). See http://www.DIANASNY.com for menus and map. $3.00 admission fee includes coffee or tea. If you arrive at 6 PM, you can order from the Early Bird menu. No orders are taken during the Presentation (7:00-7:30).
Thursday, May 27 Protecting New York’s Natural Resources with Better Construction Site Management 9AM - 1PM - NYS DEC Mandatory 4 Hour Erosion & Sediment Control Training For Contractors, Developers, Inspectors, and any individuals involved in soil disturbance activities. Putnam County Soil & Water Conservation District and Dutchess County Soil & Water Conservation District is offering a mandatory training program in soil erosion and sediment control for contractors on May 27, 2010 from 9 am to 1 pm at the Putnam County Training & Operations Building in Carmel. The training session is being offered in the wake of new statewide regulations for contractors on projects with a cumulative land disturbance of one acre or more. The regulations, which went into effect May 1, require that contractors receive a minimum of four hours training in soil erosion and sediment control every three years when performing work classified as “land disturbing.” Registration information is available at 845-878-7918 or online at www.putnamcountyny.com. There is a fee, and advance registration is required. Seats are limited, so early registration is advised.
Municipal Shared Services Workshop  1PM - 4PM - A half-day workshop on governmental consolidation and the sharing of services between municipalities, presented by Historic Hudson River Towns, is planned for May 27 from 1 to 4 pm at historic Lyndhurst on Route 9 in Tarrytown. A hot topic at all levels of government right now, a discussion of shared services should be of interest to elected officials, staff members and businesses who work with local and county government. The workshop will include a presentation from NYS Department of State on how to share services and how to qualify for funding. A panel discussion presented by three communities who are working right now on sharing certain municipal services will report their experiences and what they have learned. The workshop will also include an update on research and development being led by IBM of innovative programs that can save municipalities money. The cost is $20 per person and advance reservations can be made by calling 914-232-6583 or emailing ngold@hudsonriver.com. Checks made payable to HHRT may be sent to HHRT, 180 Route 100, Katonah, NY 10536.
Friday, May 28  In William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe
7:30PM - Filmmakers Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler explore the life of their father, the late radical civil rights lawyer. In the 1960s and 70s, Kunstler fought for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr. and represented the famed "Chicago 8" activists who protested the Vietnam War. When the inmates took over Attica prison, or when the American Indian Movement stood up to the federal government at Wounded Knee, they asked Kunstler to be their lawyer.
To his daughters, it seemed that he was at the center of everything important that had ever happened. But when they were growing up, Kunstler represented some of the most reviled members of society, including rapists and assassins. This powerful film not only recounts the historic causes that Kunstler fought for; it also reveals a man that even his own daughters did not always understand, a man who risked public outrage and the safety of his family so that justice could serve all. Tickets $20 includes Q&A with the director and reception. Call or email to reserve!! 845-424-3900 or membership@philipstowndepottheatre.org
Saturday, May 29 Kent Library Giant Book Sale What? It's time to get ready for the Kent Library Giant Book Sale! We need volunteers for all phases of the sale - set up, staffing sale, take down, publicity, etc. If you are able to help us, please contact Kaye Baum at (845) 225-3942 or Rich Harrison at rjamesharrison@cs.com. We are now accepting books/audios/cds/DVDs for the sale. The books should be in good condition, smoke free, and unsoiled. Please no textbooks, Reader's Digest, or outdated encyclopedias. Thank you in advance for your willingness to support the sale. Many hands make the work light. Let's all work to create a great success!
Wednesday, June 2 Smart Management for Small Communities: Practical Resources for Local Governance 8:30 am – 6:00 pm - Hosted by: Environmental Finance Center-Syracuse University, serving Region 2 of the Environmental Protection Agency, and co-sponsored with the NYS Water Resources Institute. As a part of the Environmental Finance Center’s Public Management Finance Program (PMFP) series, this event will focus on the needs of municipal leaders and provide technical assistance, funding updates, and practical skill-building sessions. Who should attend? Elected officials, wastewater, drinking water and solid waste systems operators, and all interested parties. Every attendee will hear from state and federal agency representatives on funding updates and opportunities, and concurrent break-out sessions including asset management, alternative strategies in drinking water management, wastewater management, and solid waste management. Keynote presentation by Ed Clerico, Principal of Alliance Environmental. The event promises to be educational, functional, practical, and thought-provoking. For more details, see attached workshop announcement PDF. Fee is $75. Register online at: www.efc.syracusecoe.org. Registration deadline: May 10, 2010. Location: Bear Mountain Conference Center (but give it a go anyway if you're interested)
Thursday, June 3 Fox Tales An Evening of One Act Plays written by Gabrielle Fox, directed by Patterson's Tony Howarth. A Gabrielle Fox production benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Winfluence, The Graveyard Shift and Good Friday.
Three new one-act plays explore relationships between opposites. Two office assistants in a shared space, a drag queen and a red neck in a cemetery, a down and out woman and a biblical theme park character all struggle to overcome their differences, whether they want to or not. Purchase tickets here.
Cast: Jess Erick, Margie Ferris, Fidel Fonteboa, Donna James, Stephen Medwid and Fred Rueck.
Running time: 60 minutes, no intermission. Venue: The Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street
Performance dates: Thurs 6/3 @ 9pm, Sat 6/5 @ 12pm, Sun 6/6 @3:30pm, Thurs 6/10 @ 7:30pm, Mon 6/14 @ 8pm, Sun 6/20 @ 1pm.
Sunday, June 6 PAC Benefit for the ARTS - Songs of World War II Join us Sunday, June 6th, the anniversary of D-Day, for a USO style show of the great songs of WWII as performed by the Voices of Hope. Area performers Craig Brown, Leo Brown, Joseph (Rocky) Colavito, Kirsten Edlund, Eileen Olifers, Marty Posner, Sherrie House and pianist Sue Yanarella will serve up classics like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, It’s Only a Paper Moon, The White Cliffs of Dover and more, for a window into the 1940’s.
This popular fundraiser will be offered at Belle Levine Art Center, 521 Kennicut Hill Rd., Mahopac. Tickets are only $30.00 (Members $25.00) and include treats at intermission. Reservations requested. Directions and details on this and all the programs and services of the Putnam Arts Council at putnamartscouncil.com or 845.803.8622
Friday, June 11 Fund Raiser for Mike Kaplowitz 7:30 PM Come out and support Mike Kaplowitz as he works to be the next State Senator from the 40th District. At a private home in Putnam Valley. Write for more information.
Sunday, June 13 Meet and Greet With Mike Kaplowitz 2PM - At a private home in Mahopac. Write for more information. Strawberry Festival Noon- 5PM - Hosted by the Beacon Sloop Club
| |
